The New Zealand AIDS Foundation is welcoming PHARMAC's decision to fund two more anti-retroviral treatments for HIV from April 1, tenofovir (Viread) and emtricitabine (Emtriva), but is disappointed at the length of time taken to approve one of the needed medications. In Australia, both new medications have been available for some time, tenofovir since November 2002, and emtricitabine since April 2005. In New Zealand, tenofovir was approved by Medsafe in November 2005, but HIV-positive patients in New Zealand have been unable to access it sooner due to delays in PHARMAC and manufacturer Gilead reaching a suitable funding compromise. “As HIV is a complex virus which adapts and changes quickly, developing resistance to existing combinations of drugs, new medications once tested and approved need to receive funding in a timely manner,” says NZAF Positive Health Manager Eamonn Smythe. “Delays of this kind can affect the quality of life, and even life expectancy, of HIV-positive patients.” It is estimated that there are just over 2000 people living with diagnosed HIV in New Zealand. “The pool of people living with the virus is increasing each year, particularly among gay and bisexual men,” Smythe continues. “177 new diagnoses were recorded overall in 2006, the second-highest number ever reported in New Zealand for a single year.” Both newly-funded drugs, tenofovir and emtricitabine, are single-dose daily medications which will help to ease the pill burden of patients. Adverse side effects can include nausea, vomiting and fatigue, but at reduced levels compared to other HIV medications. “Living with the side effects of HIV medication is not always an easy ride, despite the advances made in recent years,” Smythe says. “For HIV-negative people, it's important to remember that avoiding infection in the first place is still the best weapon we have against HIV. This means always using condoms for anal and vaginal sex.” Ref: NZAF (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Thursday, 15th March 2007 - 12:00pm